Intent data trends: the research signals behind Apple’s AI chip strategy
When Apple and Broadcom announced they were extending their semiconductor partnership through 2031, the headlines focused on what it meant for Apple’s long-term investment in AI chips and the future of semiconductor manufacturing.
What the announcement didn’t show was the strategic work happening behind the scenes.
Long-term partnerships of this scale require continuous planning from evaluating manufacturing capabilities and securing supply chains to coordinating procurement and hardware strategy.
Using Bombora Company Surge®, we explored how employee research evolved at both companies to understand the priorities supporting one of the technology industry’s most significant partnerships.
Apple’s research reflects long-term manufacturing priorities
Throughout the year, Apple’s employee research consistently centered on semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain planning. Research remained elevated across multiple periods, suggesting an ongoing strategic focus on semiconductors.
Top spiking topics
- Semiconductor Manufacturing
- Supply Chain Procurement
- Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Logistics
- AI Chips
We observe initial spikes starting in January, with recurring spikes beginning in February, leading up to the partnership announcement with Broadcom in July.
These trends reflect the operational planning required to support Apple’s long-term investment in custom silicon.
Broadcom’s research highlights supplier alignment
Broadcom shows a similar pattern over the same time period, with sustained employee research around supply chain procurement, AI chips, and Apple itself.
Top spiking topics
- Supply Chain Procurement
- AI Chips
- Apple (AAPL)
- Supply Chain
- Supply Chain Logistics
While Apple’s research leans more heavily toward semiconductor manufacturing, Broadcom’s research emphasizes the supply chain and customer alignment needed to support one of its largest strategic relationships.
A shared strategic focus
Viewed together, the similarities become clear.
Throughout the year, both Apple and Broadcom showed sustained research activity around semiconductor manufacturing, supply chain procurement, logistics, and AI chips.
The research suggests these priorities were being actively explored across both organizations well before the partnership extension became public.
Major business announcements often appear sudden from the outside. In reality, they are the culmination of months of planning, evaluation, and coordination.
Intent data provides a unique window into that process, revealing the strategic priorities organizations are actively researching as major business decisions take shape.
*A research spike shows that companies were actively researching topics, meaning they had a Company Surge® score of 60 or higher.
*https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/08/apple-commits-30-billion-to-broadcom-for-us-chipmaking-push.html